They wanted to speed up a machine which partially assembled heater cores.

My systems controlled the stepping of the machine, acceleration and deceleration.

The engineer’s goal was to take 5 to 10 seconds out of the operation cycle per minute which was easy to do EXCEPT all while I was testing the program change and parameter changes, the machine kept stopping BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT PRODUCE enough parts to keep the machine occupied.

So I asked them, are you going to modify, improve, increase production of the upstream process so you have sufficient product? NO! Was their answer! So I asked then why do you want to increase the wear on this machine to reduce its cycle time? Because my boss told me too.